Unscripted - A Blog for Actors - Backstage

Actor Website Phase 1

Here we go-- website time. Very first, I used the super helpful tips from Bonnie Gillespie over at actors access: Bad Websites, Good Websites, Bad Websites, Good Websites II, and Bad Websites, Good Websites III

The Playwright

It's so ironic that I am serving as a reader for this playwrighting class right now as I have just joined forces with one of my most beloved playwrights wo work on a piece. I've always been into writing and done it on the side/for myself and playwrighting is such a different, huge beast than what I'm used to. I'm not sure exactly how our collaboration will manifest, but happily we have such a great relationship that I'm sure it will naturally evolve for us. It was brilliant to be able to sit in a class full of up and coming playwrights and listen to their work and read their characters and hear their concerns and ideas. It totally put me in a space where I'm ready to jump into my own project with a bit of perspective.

Everything old is new again

Last year I went on this audition. It was for a role that I absolutely LOVED, dug into, wanted. Bad. I felt good walking out of the room. And indeed I got called back. For another role. One I was not right for and everyone knew it. Thus I did not book the play.

The Funk

Wooo, I'm exhausted. I just walked offstage after doing my favorite scene. I have never sunk my teeth into any scene the way I have this one. I am loyal to it, I am fiercely protective of it; when the audience doesn't respond how they should, I get mad at them.

Transitions

I remember graduating from undergrad and debating Grad School. I thought, yes, I want to continue training and learning, but how can I justify starting a career at 25? I already feel like I'm joining the party late at 22. Needless to say, I was an idiot. But now that I am 25 moving into a new market, those same issues are coming up

Boogerface

There is a very emotional scene in Fedra (buy your tickets now!)  in which something very emotional happens and then my character falls in love. In terms of the arc of a scene and the character journey this is one juicy, funny, heightened scene, my favorite scene of everything I have done thus far, hands down. Towards the end there is a quiet, beautiful, extended moment when my character and the prince lock eyes and gaze at one another, dumbfounded by our love.

The Best Laid Plans

Things are slowly, slowly coming together for my impending move. Submissions have been sent, phone calls made, the glimmers of meetings shining on the horizon. My apartment is getting packed together and as of Saturday, I will begin my nomadic tenure in Chicago.

Terrible!

I only have two damn scenes in this damn play. Can someone tell me how it is possible for me to screw up a line two weeks into the run?? Two weeks! And I didn't even know! My thought process at the time was.. I just said my line, I wonder why the other actors are staring at me like I lost my mind..? Which is probably why I went up, because why am I thinking about stupidity like that instead of being in the moment? ARRRGH I'm so mad! And it wasn't even a big hiccup- I'm sure no one noticed. But I noticed! Where was my mind!

Birthdays and transitions

Birthday week is upon us! Yes, I say us because I consider it a National Week of Observance and Celebration. As always, this is the time to look back at 24 and see what 25 will be bringing with it.

Collaboration

There are so many exciting new things about working in a theater with an actual budget, but the best is the ridiculous amount of collaboration going on between all departments. It may just be the particular company I'm working with, but every element is discussed with every person for maximum enhancement of the story. Case in point, I just collaborated with the set team about a piece of furniture in my prison cell, what things I would have carved into it. I consulted  with the playwright and dramaturg, and now, this piece, tells the story, is accurate and adds to my architecture.